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US Ground Troops Enter Afghanistan: Report
The US military on Wednesday started its new part of operation on Afghanistan by sending infantry around Kandahar, stronghold of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar and suspected terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden, according to Iran's state radio in Tehran.
The US infantry troops, landing from helicopters flying from the Pakistani-Afghan border, were deployed near Kandahar in southwest Afghanistan, informed sources were quoted as saying, adding that "It's the second part of the American operation on Afghan soil" after heavy bomb raids for the past 10 days.
The radio gave no details about the exact number of US troops landed in Afghanistan.
Iran's television has also reported that Taliban forces and American soldiers exchanged fire near Kandahar Wednesday.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister also hinted on Wednesday at an imminent use of ground troops in Afghanistan and ruled out a pause in military strikes against its ruling Taliban and bin Laden.
He also said the US-dominated coalition was now giving more active help to the opposition Northern Aliance forces fighting the Taliban.
Blair said the bombing campaign had inflicted "heavy damage" on the ruling Taliban's command and control centres, air defences, radars, missile sites and aircraft, and to bin Laden's al-Qaeda.
He told the British parliament that "we are in a process of establishing the ability to take more, further military action against the Taliban regime and the al-Qaeda network."
It was interpreted as a hint of ground troops -- most likely special forces -- who are already reported to be in and around Afghanistan.
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